Around 150 people attended this third edition of the “Comité Médicis Public Meetings”.
Around 150 people attended this third edition of the “Comité Médicis Public Meetings”.
Yves Perrier, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amundi and President of Comité Médicis, opened the session by underscoring the topicality of this question, as evidenced by the debates at the last Davos Forum, numerous articles in the national and international press and recent controversies in the United States.
The juxtaposition of state legislation and standards carried over from NGOs, rating agencies and investors into ESG reference values raises major geopolitical, ecological and social issues.
What does this balancing of standards and laws, which tends to make companies become political actors, mean for the constitution of our society and for the proper functioning of the economy?
In the first part of the debate, Mercedes Erra presented the results of a global study on what “people” expect, particularly in terms of consumption behaviour and in their relationship with companies and political institutions.
Trust remains a key element: 80% of people believe that trust is a cornerstone of our society. But they tend to place their trust in narrow circles: the people around them, those of their generation and those who are like them.
Companies have a fairly good image. The Covid crisis and the way companies responded to it greatly contributed to their positive perception. This is not the case for politicians.
People see the primary role of a company as creating jobs and looking after its employees. A second, very important element is a commitment to the planet. The third element is that a company must generate profit but must also play a role in moving the world in the right direction. The company and what it produces must have a meaning, a purpose.
Following on from the previous intervention, Marcel Gauchet developed the following three points: 
- Strictly speaking, companies are not political institutions.
- Through their actions and impacts, however, companies play a part as political actors.
- Companies are called upon to respond to social and political issues and cannot avoid having to trade off between often contradictory expectations.
Finally, moderator François Lenglet continued the debate with the audience.
In conclusion, Yves Perrier reiterated the role, the “raison d’être”, of the Comité Médicis, which is to contribute to reflect on the transformations of the world, the role of companies and also that of investors.
Highlights of the 1rst of June 2022 Meeting